The styling of hair to create aesthetically pleasing personal appearance has been practiced through the ages to the present day. Currently there is great interest in creating elevated hair styles having great fullness and height above the top of the head. An example of such a high-elevation style is the so-called and well-known “beehive” hair style.
Many techniques and devices have been developed to facilitate the creation of elevated hair styles. Typical high hairstyling aids include supplementing natural hair with extra hair attachments such as wigs and “falls” and using special sprays and chemical treatments that cause the hair fibers to stably stiffen and stick together when combed to an elevated style. Other methods utilize mechanical devices worn on the head and in the hair. Some mechanical devices include, for example, clips, combs and bands, and typically involve clamping hair fibers in groups to allow their arrangement in a high-elevation style. Other mechanical devices are bulky objects meant to be worn inside the hair style to provide props for the bulk of the wearer's hair above the device.
Heretofore, there have been a number of patents related to systems for adding height or fullness to hair. The entire disclosure of all U.S. patents and patent applications identified herein are hereby incorporated by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,035,861, for example, discloses a system for adding height to the hair at the crown of the wearer's head. The system comprises two hair inserts which can be identical to each other. Each insert is formed by attaching a natural-looking hairpiece to the main bar of a comb. The system is inserted by the wearer gathering the natural hair at the crown of her head inserting one insert from each side of the gathered hair, such that the teeth of the combs intermesh, frictionally engaging the system in the wearer's hair. Finally, the wearer's natural hair can be arranged over the inserted hairpieces so that the system is completely hidden from view. Moreover, as the system incorporates natural or synthetic hair covering the main bars of the combs, it will not be greatly noticeable or cause embarrassment to the wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,783 is directed to a hairpiece having a comb-shaped attaching member designed to provide a natural appearance while securely attaching the hairpiece to the natural hair of the wearer. In a preferred embodiment, artificial hair root is attached to the comb-shaped member at a plurality of dispersed and disconnected hair root attachment sites. These are formed at one side of the comb-shaped member. To provide desired flexibility, the comb-shaped member may be formed with a spring wire core coated with a thermoplastic material which holds the hair roots.
My U.S. Pat. No. 7,484,512 discloses a device for propping up hair comprising a bob member and a comb affixed to the bob member for attaching the device to the user's hair. The bob member is generally brick- or bread loaf-shaped and is covered with fibrous material that can blend with the hair of the wearer to help disguise the presence of the device.
There remains a great need for a hairstyling tool that is able to significantly increase the height of a hair style. There is a need to have a hairstyling tool that can facilitate the creation of a beehive hair style. It is also much desired to have a hair elevating hairstyling tool that is simple, easy and quick to deploy. A tool for creating high hair styles that is comfortable to wear is needed. A self-operating hairstyling tool that can be used to create a highly elevated hairstyle by the wearer alone without assistance by another person is very much wanted.